Stereoscopic universal digital camera adapter

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a stereoscopic single digital camera adapter in the form of a quick-snap center sliding plate and guide adapter with built-in leveling jacks, a horizontal level vial and dead-end stops between a distance of 55 mm similar to the average distance between the center of two human eyes. This pocket-sized universal adapter is for use with digital cameras to better facilitate quickly and easily captures very precise quality still pair of images of a scene or a subject by any person. The invention helps to capture a stereo pair of images, one that emulates a left eye view of the intended subject and another that emulates a right eye view of the same scene or subject. The two image pairs can then be downloaded into a computer and/or printed on paper through printing devices or viewed in any desired stereoscopic anaglyph or interlaced viewing formats.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to stereoscopic photography and the captures of a matched pair of digitized photo images by use of any single lens digital camera and stores these images in two separate files, one to represent a right-eye view of the intended subject and another for a left-eye view. These two images can then be combined for viewing with various 3 dimensional formats such as Parallel, Cross-eyed viewing, with hand-held viewers, Anaglyph or Liquid Crystal Shutter glasses, or Lenticular sheet viewing or more particularly to a digital camera guiding track apparatus for accurately taking a stereo pair of digital images of a scene or a subject.

BACKGROUND ART

Typically, a stereoscopic camera comes with a built-in pair of left and right eye views of a subject and captures two images on a filmstrip for slide viewing. These cameras are old and do not offer the convenience, ease of use and economy of digital cameras. Since no such stereoscopic digital cameras exist to date, it was important to create a new sliding mechanism that easily allows the capture of left and right digital images by a single lens digital camera.

Although several patents of various apparatus have been designed to provide the ability to take a left and right eye view of a scene or a subject as suggested in prior art U.S. Pat. No. 5,809,355 issued Jan. 10, 1997, U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,049, issued Aug. 30, 1988, U.S. Pat. No. 2,791,950, issued May 1957, U.S. Pat. No. 2,279,443, issued April 1942, U.S. Pat. No. 1,371,439, issued Mar. 15, 1921, and U.S. Pat. No. 713,177, issued Nov. 11, 1902, an ordinary camera with only a single capture lens can be used to sequentially expose respective images of the

same scene or subject on a pair of adjacent film frames when the camera is in right and left picture-taking positions. A suitable distance between the right and left photo-capture positions is chosen to obtain a matched pair of images that when looked at together through an appropriate stereoscopic viewer shows a stereoscopic 3 dimensional image of the original scene or subject. All come with a tripod support for the camera and typically having two pre-set locations for locating the camera in the right and left photo-captures positions.

In addition other sliding plates are two slow to operate and capture two left and right views of a subject with a single camera. This is especially hard to sue when taking stereoscopic portrait photography with a single camera, because humans are less able to stand still for a long period of time until the user releases, then shifts, and then locks the camera from right to left requiring a new better and faster method.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a stereoscopic digital camera slide plate and track guide apparatus which allows for the precise positioning of just one single lens digital camera at each of two right/left locations to be selected from a list of pre set locations. Two individual digital photographic representations of a scene or a subject are then captured and stored on the digital camera-recording medium for further download to a computer or a suitable printer.

Any macro, zoom or wide-angle lens can be used in the process. The stereoscopic digital camera apparatus mainly consists of a sliding plate with a built-in bolt to attach to the bottom of a digital camera and a matching track guide with the means to attach to a tripod but can also be leveled without the use of a tripod with the built-in 4 supporting leveling jacks located at the four corners of the track guide. The track guide also has a built-in horizontal level vial to support in the leveling process and produce precise stereoscopic pairs of digital photographs. This stereoscopic apparatus is designed to be ultra-compact, highly functional and extremely easy to use.

The quick-lock/quick-release thumb operated cylinder is a unique method to quickly lock the sliding plate and attached camera in a position to stop it from sliding in either direction while capturing a scene. This mechanism allows for the set positions to be freely selected by the user depending on the distance away from the intended subject or the type of lenses or zoom function being used.

What is also unique about this invention is that the digital camera and the attached sliding plate can easily be placed starting at an angle to position the front side of the sliding plate under the locking cylinder on the guiding track then snapped down onto the guiding track through the center, this mechanism allows both left and right ends to provide automatic stop points for the default left and right positions on the guiding track where both ends are closed, making it extremely fast to take repeated and accurate left and right photographs in a record time, which makes this invention the best stereoscopic single digital or SLR adapter ever created for human portrait photography, where the requirement to stay still is extremely minimized.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the sliding plate (FIG. 1.1) as it is ready to fit onto the guiding track (FIG. 1.3)

FIG. 1.2 is the standard screw that attaches to the bottom of a tripod-threaded digital camera.

FIG. 1.4 points to the quick-lock\quick-release thumb cylinder.

FIGS. 1.5 and 1.7 points to the notch on the locking cylinder for ease of rotating up and down along with the fixed notches (FIGS. 1.6 and 1.8) located on both the right and left side of the guiding track.

FIG. 1.9 points to one of the four corners where a screw-on leveling jack fits.

FIG. 1.10 points to the right-back and right-front leveling jacks.

FIG. 1.11 points to the default left position indicator, FIG. 1.12 points to default right position indicator.

FIG. 1.13 points to the center opening of the guiding track where the backside of the sliding plate fits in (FIG. 1.14).

FIG. 1.15 points one example of the level vial socket where the level vial fits (FIG. 1.16)

FIG. 2 shows the sliding plate (FIG. 2.1) in the left default position on the guiding track (FIG. 2.2) before it is locked with the locking cylinder (FIG. 2.4) through a quick twist using the thumb and index with the help of the right notch (FIG. 2.5)

FIG. 2.6 points to the right back leveling jack (one on each of the four corners).

FIG. 2.7 points to the standard threaded socket that attaches to a tripod when used.

FIG. 3 shows the sliding plate with the standard tripod-like bolt (FIG. 3.2) to attach to the bottom of the camera. The front of the sliding plate (FIG. 3.1) is shaped to easily fit under the locking cylinder (FIG. 1.4) on the guiding track (FIG. 1.3).

FIG. 4 shows the sliding plate and the bolt (FIG. 4.2).

FIG. 4.1 points to the part of the sliding plate to easily snap on the guiding track through the center opening of the track guide and keeps the sliding plate in place on the track guide in either the left or right positions.

FIG. 4.3 points to the left back and front circular indents that snuggle-fit around the level jack casings on the left side of the track guide, FIG. 4.4 points to the right back and front indents that snuggle fit on the right side of the guiding track.

FIG. 5.1 shows the bottom side of the sliding plate with one example of a bolt mechanism, here shown as a coin screw mechanism.

FIG. 6.1 shows the top of the sliding plate with the top of the bolt where the bottom of the camera is attached.

FIG. 7 shows how the various parts fit together on the guiding track.

FIG. 7.6 shows the locking cylinder and how the back side (FIG. 7.8) for the release position is thinner than the bottom front side (FIG. 7.9) for the lock position here it is thicker when twisted down against the front of the sliding plate (FIG. 3.1). An example of how the locking cylinder (FIG. 7.6) might fit on the guiding track left and right front sides (FIG. 7.5)—other suitable mechanisms could include a supporting brass rod and suitable tightening springs for example.

FIG. 7.3 shows a threaded socket on the guiding track (the means to attach to a tripod.)

FIG. 7.2 points to the 4 leveling jacks and how they screw into the 4 threaded leveling jack sockets (FIG. 7.4)

FIG. 8 shows the stereoscopic universal digital camera adapter with a n example digital camera attached and in the right position after already capturing a left photograph in the left position and recording the digital image onto the digital camera.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings as sub numbers to the Figure numbers, here's how the Stereoscopic Universal Digital Camera Adapter is best used:

For use with a tripod, the user first attaches the guiding track (FIG. 1.3) by use of the standard threaded socket located at the bottom center of the guiding track (FIG. 2.7), then screws the standard bolt on the tripod into that threaded socket tightly and then levels the tripod horizontally with the help of the level vial (FIG. 1.16). Then proceed to paragraph [0036].

For use without a tripod. The user places the guiding track on the desired surface that provides the right proper spot and direction for capturing the photographs. With the use of the leveling jacks (FIG. 1.10), the user can then level the guiding track with the help of the level vial (FIG. 1.16), it is not recommended to use the level jacks for highly inclined surfaces where the leveling could be beyond the capability of the leveling jacks.

With the use of any digital camera that comes ready with a standard threaded socket at the bottom of the base of the camera, the sliding plate (FIG. 1.1) by means of the standard attached screw in the center of the plate, the plate is first screwed to the bottom of the base of the camera where the threaded socket is located (camera not shown). With the snap-on center of the plate (FIG. 1.14) pointing towards the back of the camera and the lens to the front with the screw tightened in a way that makes the back of the camera in parallel with the length of the sliding plate.

Both the digital camera and the sliding plate are brought over the center of the guiding track (FIG. 1.3). To order to place the sliding plate with the attached camera on the guiding track, the camera and the plate are then tilted forward in order for the quarter cylindrical piece in the front of the sliding plate to snap in the allotted space just under the quick-lock cylinder (FIG. 1.4) on the guiding track. Then the digital camera and the sliding plate are brought down from the back through the center for the guiding track where the back part of the sliding plate (FIG. 1.14) fits right into the center back opening on the guiding track (FIG. 1.13).

At this point the sliding plate along with the attached digital camera should be parallel with the guiding track. Then by holding the camera, the user slides the digital camera by means of the sliding plate all the way to the left until the digital camera comes to a stop and no longer can parcel further on the guiding track (this is the default pre-set left-view position) then the user captures a left-view image of the desired scene or subject, then quickly slides the digital camera all the way to the right until the digital camera comes to a stop and no longer can travel further to the right on the guiding track (this is the default pre-set right-view position) then captures a right view image of the scene or subject.

As a safety measure, if the user intends to move the camera and the stereoscopic adapter with or without the tripod from place to place so that the adapter and digital camera become tightly attached (to avoid having the digital camera fall), the user can then turn the quick-lock cylinder down as in (FIG. 2.4) by placing the thumb on the cylinder notch from the top (FIG. 1.5) and the side of the index finger of the same hand below the fixed notch on the guiding track (FIG. 1.6) and twisting the thumb down and the index finger up to tightly secure and lock the digital camera on the track guide in a secure position. To release the digital camera and sliding plate from the track guide a twist back in the opposite direction does the trick.

After taking the left-view photograph, users may decide to travel the camera a shorter distance than the 55 mm standard distance on the track (resembling the average distance between the centers of two human eyes. Users may also decide to stop at any shorter distance to capture the right-view corresponding image, this is especially helpful when capturing photographs of a subject that's very close to the camera less than 6-8 feet away from the lens.

Users can then download the stereo pair of images onto a computer or printer and manipulate with a 3D stereo pair editing or mixing software or a professional photo editor like Photoshop to create the desired stereoscopic or anaglyph viewing formats. 

1. A compact small pocketsize sliding plate/track guide apparatus comprising: a compact horizontal track guide member ranging from 10 cm×4 cm×1.5 cm or smaller to 20 cm×5 cm×2.5 cm (L×W×H) with a travel distance of 55 mm for the smaller size (as shown in the drawings) and dead-end stops on both the left and right sides; means on said member for attaching said member to a tripod; means on said member for self-equilibrating without a tripod by use of built-in horizontal level vial and leveling jacks; a small sliding plate member with a middle screw to attach said member to the bottom of any digital camera that comes with a threaded socket for use with tripod; means for attaching said member above the track guide in a quick snap tilt motion; means on track guide member to quick-lock/quick-release for selectively and realeasably attaching a digital camera to said track guide.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 using the sliding plate by means of standard screw can attach to the bottom of any digital camera equipped with a threaded tripod socket.
 3. The apparatus claim of 2 including means to tilt-quick snap onto the track guide through the center opening of the guide under the quick0-lock/quick-release thumb cylinder.
 4. The apparatus claim of 3 including means to level said digital camera/plate/guide horizontally and in parallel on either a flat surface or any uneven surface by use of any standard tripod or if on a slightly uneven surface by use of the built-in leveling jacks and built-in level vial attached to said track guide.
 5. The apparatus claim of 5 including means to position digital camera to a left or right first position to capture the first pair of a stereo pair of images for the purposes of future viewing in various three dimensional formats. Said sliding plate and attached camera is slid to a desired position, then stopped by turning the quick-lock/quick-release thumb cylinder to the lock position and locking the digital camera in place a first photograph can be taken with the digital camera.
 6. The apparatus claim of 6 including means of then turning the thumb cylinder to the release position, then sliding said plate and attached digital camera to the second desired left or right position on the track guide, then stopped and lock with the quick-lock/quick-release thumb cylinder to capture second image and complete capture of the pair of stereoscopic images on to the digital camera memory.
 7. Said apparatus in claim 1 is first time highly compact sliding plate/guide mechanism intended for use with digital cameras.
 8. Said apparatus in claim 1 is designed to take two separate left and right views of an intended subject with a distance separation from 0.1 mm to 55 mm resembling the average distance separation of two human eyes.
 9. Said apparatus in claim 1 is intended for use with any digital camera in all its mode of operations including but not limited to various macro, zoom or wide angle modes/or attachable lenses. Also said apparatus in claim 1 has means to select two default pre-set right and left view locations but due to the flexible quick-lock/quick-release locking and releasing mechanism, the distance may also be adjusted freely based on variable distances the digital camera is away from the scene, or if the lens is in macro, zoom, or wide angle use.
 10. Said apparatus in claim 1 is the fastest and most accurate process to move a digital camera from the default left position to the right position. It is the first and only compact/pocket size mechanism that allows for a normal human eves separation of 55 mm and features closed dead-ends which serve to stop the sliding plate from running off the guiding track. This is incredibly important for it allows the user to quickly position the digital camera to the far left, capture a left-eye view photo of the scene or subject. This makes the apparatus in claim 1, the fastest stereoscopic adapter ever created for a single camera lens to capture an accurate pair of left-to-right or right-to-left eye views and making it the most suitable for stereoscopic photography of human portraits by a single digital or SLR camera. 